Semirigid gauze



A. F. LUZZI SEMIRIGID GAUZE Filed Feb. 5, 1,937

ATTORNEY.

Patented ct. 3, 1939 STES l" @FFEQE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to dental and surgical supplies and it hasparticular reference to improvements in medicinal gauze.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved,semi-rigid gauze especially adapted for dental use inasmuch as it is ofsufficiently rigid nature as to enable it to follow the contour of aroot rocket without bending, and allows one of its ends to contact thebottom of the socket, without the necessity of packing it in.Particularly, the invention anticipates a method of producing, as a newarticle of manufacture, a semi-rigid gauze of the character brieflydescribed.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has other objectsas well as certain steps in the method of production, to become manifestas the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a lower jaw bone structure, showing aroot socket with the invention inserted therein.

Figure 2 is an elevation of a strip of dental gauze before its formationin accordance with the prescribed steps on the invention.`

Figure 3 shows the step of immersing the gauze in solution preparatoryto twisting into a roll.

Figure 4 illustrates the step of twisting the treated gauze into a roll.

Figure 5 is a View of the rolled or twisted gauze.

Figure 6 is a View of the further step of reducing the roll of gauzeinto sections.

Figure 7 is a view of a modified step in the method inasmuch as thegauze is twisted to a greater extent to produce a spiral eiiect in thebody of the twisted roll,

Figure 8 is suggessive of the step of impregnating the gauze with awater soluble gum solution by spraying, rather than by immersion, and

Figure 9 illustrates an example of the manner of shaping the .gauze forimmediate use withdanger of a few stran-ds of the fibers adhering to thesurrounding bony structure, which will decompose and reinfect the area.The present invention improves upon this practice by insuring againstthe disadvantages outlined, as will become apparent presently.

In Figure l is shown a section of the lower jaw bone l, showing a socket2, with a section of dental gauze inserted, which is constructedaccording to the present invention. In carrying out the method ofproducing the gauze roll, a strip of surgical gauze 3 is first immersedin a gum solution soluble in water 4, such as tragacanth, acacia or thelike. An example of this step is suggested more or less schematically inFigure 3. In this gure is also shown a pair of blocks Qa, attached tothe receptacle and about which thegauze 3 is passed, to remove excessgum solution.

The gum impregnated strip 3 is then hel-d at one end while its oppositeend is rotated to form a spiral roll 5, the cross fibers a of the stripprotruding in the manner shown, which, when the strip is twisted asshown in Figures 5 and 6, provide a slightly roughened surface forretaining a generous coating of petroleum base lubricant. This coatingis applied subsequent to actual use of the gauze and serves to preventadhesion of the gauze to the tissues and for the purpose of surroundingthe antiseptics carried on the gauze to lessen the possible irritatingeffects of such antiseptics.

The example shown in Figure 4 is purely suggestive but illustrative ofone form of means for imparting a twisting action to the gauze strip 3.It is obvious that this maybe accomplished in many ways. The exampleshows a clamp 6, mounted on a squared shaft l, passing through a squaredaperture in a mounting 8 and spring retained so that when the strip 3 isshortened by twisting, the clamp 6 will yield.

The opposite end of the strip 3 is held by a clamp 9, rotatably arrangedin a mounting I0 and rotated by a hand crank il to impart a twistingaction to the gauze stripl 3.

After the gauze is removed from the twisting device, it is wrappedaround at fiat piece of metal or wood of suitable size, such as shown inFigure 9. The ends of the gauze rolls are clamped thereto in someconvenient manner to avoid slippage, and the gauze is allowed to dry inthis condition. When dry, the clamps are removed and the flat coils aresimply slipped off the mandrel I3 and are cut on line to form jointly,U-shaped gauge rolls, such as illustrated in Figure 1.

In Figure 7 is shown the same strip 3, designated at l2 but to form thedouble spiral eiect, the gauze 3 s twisted'to a greater extent in orderthat the spirals b will be provided to effectively retain and conveyinto the tooth socket, a greater quantity of petroleum base material,which, as stated, is applied at the time the gauze is used.

In Figure 8 is shown a modified example of the step of saturating thegauze strip 3 with gum solution preparatory to the twisting step. Inthis modication, the gum solution is sprayed onto the strip rather thanbeing applied by immersion.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the steps are as follows, itbeing understood that the various steps are not necessarily in the orderdescribed:

First, the strip of gauze 3 is sprayed or immersed in the gum solution;second, the strip is spirally twisted into a roll; third, the roll isplaced in a rack to dry; fourth, the roll is cut into sections of thedesired length and placed in a suitable sterile container for ultimateuse as described. It is preferred that when the gauze is removed fromthe sterile container for use, it be immersed in a suitable antisepticsolution and then treated with a generous quantity of petroleum basematerial or other substance having a desirable grease base. Thismaterial is conveyed bythe gauze into the socket.

Manifestly, the construction herein described and the steps by which themethod of construction is carried out may be modified to some extent andit is understood that modication of both construction and steps, whichfall within the meaning and scope of the appended claims is alsoconsidered Within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The hereindescribed method for producing semi-rigid gauze whichconsists in initially immersing a strip of surgical gauze in a gumcomposition, then in twisting the gauze into a roll, in drying the rolland finally in dividing the roll into sections of predetermined length.

2. The hereindescribed method for producing semi-rigid gauze for dentaluse characterized by initially impregnating a strip of surgical gauzewith a solution of water soluble gum, in causing the strip to be formedinto a spiral roll; in drying the roll and nally in dividing the rollinto sections of predetermined lengths.

3. TheV hereindescribed method of producing dental gauze characterizedby twisting into a spiral roll, a strip of gauze saturated by a gumsolution to resist expansion by absorbed moisture, in drying the twistedroll, and nally in .cutting the roll into sections of predeterminedlengths for use.Y

4. The hereindescribed method for producing a gauze for dental usecharacterized by first twisting a gum impregnated strip of surgicalgauze into a roll; in drying the roll and in dividing the same intosections of predetermined length.

' AUGUST F. LUZZI.

